"You don't have to come," Crystal whispered sharply at me, "this is my problem, not yours."
I looked at the two cloaked men in front of me. The taller one had an axe attached to his waist and a round buckler strapped around his wrist. The shorter one had a long, two handed spear sheathed on his back. I didn't know their names, and the only way to discover that would be to join a party with them, and because I was certain that was not going to be happening I gave them my own names.
"As soon as Axe and Spear here took you along it became my problem, alright?" I whispered back.
"They took your weapon though, you're defenceless, even more than me. They're obviously PKers, you're not going to survive," she whispered back, worry evident in her voice.
"You'd be surprised," I whispered, perhaps a little too loudly, as the shorter player turned around and shouted at me to be quiet.
"Damn Spear," I muttered to myself, and I heard Crystal cough as she covered her giggle.
"You're so unoriginal," I heard her mutter before silence descended upon the two of us.
We were forced to walk briskly through the dank, stone alleys of the fifth floor's stone city. Cheery looking fire's twinkled through the windows of the stone huts and square buildings. The chilly wind whipped at my bare flesh, and I longed to be back in my room with my blazing hearth.
We were steadily approaching the edges of the safe zone of the city and I began to panic as I realized I had no plan. Both Crystal and I had used our original teleportation crystals, so our only escape would have to be a physical one. I could easily outrun and manoeuvre Axe and Spear, but I couldn't take Crystal with me that way. She'd either die in the process, or they'd take her hostage and then any escape would be infinitely harder.
My hand reached behind my back to stroke the hilt of my sword reassuringly and I panicked momentarily when my fingers found nothing but air. Lily had my sword, I reminded myself, and she's going to Red for help. Red will be more than enough help.
We stopped at the gate, and Axe and Spear began a quiet conversation.
"Man, I wish Perilous would just add us as a friend, we could just message him and tell him what we found," Axe said.
"Ah know, but tha' means we'd haf ta give 'im our names, and 'e's right, identity is importan'," Spear said.
"Fine, I just hope he's actually at the meeting spot," Axe said sullenly in defeat.
As I overheard this conversation I began to pale. Red might be able to take out these two low level players, but Perilous was a different situation. We knew nothing about him except he was murderous and powerful. How powerful no one knew. I could have just thrown Red into horrible danger.
Crystal had also heard the conversation, and her face had paled along with mine. I could see her violet eyes quivering from beneath her hood. Usually I would offer some sentient of reassurance, but currently I was trying to calm myself down. What the hell was I supposed to do in this situation?
Then I saw the girl of my nightmares walk by and I was strangely filled with hope.
"Becka, get Rhythm, we need help!" I yelled loudly, and Axe and Spear turned around and harshly pushed Crystal and I outside of the safe zone, whispering death threats to us if either one of us shouted aloud again. I craned my head back to look at Becka, to see if she'd heard the message.
Her hazel eyes looked at me curiously, as if she was trying to remember a foreign fact she had learnt a long time ago. Her eyes never lit up in remembrance or understanding however, and my heart sank as I watched her turn around and slowly continue her journey further into the stony city.
She still didn't remember me. I was just a ghost of a memory in her mind. No help would be coming from Rhythm tonight. My feet trudged along the stone ground as Crystal and I followed Axe and Spear into the dark night. A small flash on the top right of my screen suddenly appeared without a chime, and hope burst within me as I realized the implications. I eyed Axe and Spear, waited until they were distracted momentarily by the howl of a Stone Hound, and then I hastily opened the message.
-Lily found me. I'm tracking you now. I have your sword. Stay Alive.-
I was unsure whether to be relieved or panicked that Red was following us. If she got to us before we got to Perilous perhaps everything would be just fine. More importantly, I remembered my ability to send messages. I could tell Rhythm to help me. I could even ask Ricochet and Martin, the more help the better.
I opened up my message screen and began tapping against the virtual keyboard rapidly but was stopped immediately by a spear at my back and an axe at my throat.
"I don't what you're playing at," Axe said, "But you better stop now or we'll slash you good."
"I've got a betta idea," Spear said, and jabbed me in the back with his spear, which caused my health to drop a large fraction, my low Vitality stat not helping in the least. "Make ya' menu screen visible t'everyone, or I'll impale ya the 'ole way through."
With a few quick swipes of my finger my menu flickered into life and Spear, Axe and Crystal's had a clear view of the usually invisible screen.
"Tha's better," Spear said, proud of his accomplishment.
Axe suddenly jumped back in shock like a snake had bitten him. "Christ man, look at his level." I glanced down at my screen and saw that my stats were clearly visible.
"Level sixteen," Spear muttered in both fear and awe. "wha' do we do?" He asked his companion.
"He's defenceless, impale him," Axe said in a panic. I felt the tip of the spear leave my back momentarily and I realized it was now or never. I spun my body around as I pivoted on my right foot and with my left arm I slammed the incoming spear downwards as hard as I could.
The spear, which was glowing green in the activation of a sword skill, was smashed into the ground, and its wielder followed its direction. Axe leapt out of the way of his companion, and rushed me with his weapon. I deftly slid sideways and avoided his first, downwards slash. His axe glowed purple and a sword skill erupted. The incoming horizontal blow whipped out at my hip, threatening to cleave me in two. The muscles in my feet exploded as I launched myself upwards and backwards into a back flip. Unfortunately, my acrobatics skill was not yet high enough to successfully complete a back flip, and I found myself sprawled on my stomach.
Despite being mentally stunned, I rolled myself backwards to avoid a spear that a moment later was jutting a foot into the ground where my head had been moments ago. Using the remaining momentum from my roll I spun myself up into a standing position, pushing Spear away from me with my right hand as he struggled to unearth his weapon.
I spun around to face the other enemy, but I froze when I realized he wasn't attacking me, but holding Crystal hostage.
"Stop moving or I hack your girlfriend," Axe shouted. I dropped to the ground as a spear was jabbed above me from behind. I rolled around the feet of the attacker and pushed myself up into the air using solely my arms. I hit the ground running when my feet made contact with the stone floor, desperate to leave this one-sided battle.
I glanced behind me as I fled like a coward, and saw Crystal staring at me blankly. There was no notion of disappointment, no expression of disbelief, just a passive face. That nothingness hurt me more than it should have, as it made me realize that she had never had any hope in me in the first place. To her, I had simply been tagging along.
I cursed as I ran, backtracking the path I had taken. Crystal could still be saved. I didn't know what those two were planning, but it definitely wasn't an outright murder, else she'd be dead already. No, they were planning something bigger, and although that thought horrified me, it also promised me time, and time gave me hope. All I needed to do was find Lily, who had my sword, and Red, who would have my back, and everything would be fine.
I was so deep in my thoughts that I failed to notice the shadowed figure glide up behind me and poke a dagger into my spine. I flinched, and my body stiffened from the sudden spike of pain. I planted my feet on the ground and began turning around to face my attacker with a roar. My feet wouldn't obey me however, and I found myself plummeting into the ground instead. I tried raising my arms to absorb the shock of my impact but was horrified when they remained limply by my side.
I crashed head first into the smooth stone surface and slid forwards for a meter before halting. My head crashed into a low boulder and I cried out in pain and shock as I watched my health bar drip down. Only 60% remained, and most of the damage received had been from my fall, not from the dagger. That's what I get from having a low vitality stat, I thought sadistically to myself.
I urgently tried to pick myself off the ground, but my body wouldn't respond. All I could do was lay crookedly on the cold stone as my eyes flickered from side to side. I tried shouting, but found that the loudest sound I could make was barely more than a whisper. The whisper was loud enough for my attacker to begin a conversation however.
"That other girl tried to shout as well when I paralysed her, trust me when I say that no one except for me can hear you right now." The voice was low and hoarse, but the voice didn't sound very natural, as if the player was forcing himself to disguise his real voice.
"The other girl?" I asked weakly, but I already knew the answer.
"I think her brother said her name was Crystal. Such a sweet girl she was too. Never stopped crying for her brother until she was teleported off."
"Perilous," I growled as loud as I could, but it came out as a whimper more than anything else.
"Very good, it's true, it's all true," said Perilous, but I wasn't reminded of Perilous at all when the player said those words.
"Ricochet?" I asked, my voice shaking at the own preposterousness of the accusation. Ricochet had said those exact same words to me during the first floor boss battle. Who else could this player be?
The player laughed, a broken, hoarse laugh that made me shiver. "Ricochet's a fool, and I'm no fool. You'd be surprised how many players remember those words he spoke to you so long ago though."
"You're a Serious?" I asked, realizing why his voice was beginning to sound familiar. I had probably fought with this player during the previous floor bosses.
"Please, don't insult me. I don't have any wish to be named after you. I'm far superior to someone like you," The player said, his low voice rumbling as he spoke. I felt a foot against my side and a rush of nausea as I was rolled onto my back. I could now see the player, but he was hooded and cloaked with his back turned to me. I might as well have been on my stomach again considering how much this told me.
"No, instead, please call me Perilous," the player said, and if I were not paralysed, I would have shivered in discomfort and fear. He began walking away, his back never leaving my point of view. When he was about ten meters away, my angle of view became great enough to see above his head, and I noticed in confusion that there was a green player mark above his head.
"You're not Perilous," I said, my voice hoarse from forcing words out in my paralysed state. "You've got no orange player marker. You couldn't have even stabbed me before, else you would no longer be green."
I could almost hear Perilous smirking. "I didn't attack you, it was 'friendly fire'. This system is very forgiving you see, and it just so happens that I need all the forgiveness I can get."
I couldn't believe there was such a loophole in the system. Sure, I could imagine friendly fire happening, and it would be unfortunate to be an orange player for two weeks over an accident, but look what it had led to. I was completely incapacitated.
"What about Crystal's brother then? That wasn't accidental, that was murder." My voice gave out at the end, and I realized I might no longer be able to speak in this paralyzed condition.
Perilous stopped, and I saw him hesitate as he pondered how to respond. When he did speak however, there was no hesitation in his voice.
"Ricochet's not the only one with knowledge on how to remove orange marks. The difference, is that my knowledge is correct," and with that Perilous made a hasty retreat. I tried to swear, but no sound came out, and the pain in my throat prevented me from trying again.
So instead I lay on the miserable, hard stone and prayed that someone would find me soon. I thought I was defenceless before without my sword, but now I truly knew what it meant to be defenceless. I began to feel the same kind of panic that Crystal must have felt when she was paralysed.
Crystal! I tried swearing again, and this time I ignored the painful results. She was still in danger, and I had completely forgotten to get any information about her from Perilous. Where the hell was Red! She had messaged me about fifteen minutes ago, which should have been plenty of time to catch up with me, especially with her speed.
I couldn't even send Red a message right now as my hands were completely limp. It was agonizing, frustrating, it was tearing at my mental state. I couldn't do anything at all. My vision began to fade and I began to blur the differences between reality and fantasy. My paralysis reminded me so much of my nightmares that I was beginning to lose control of my emotions.
Loud howls interrupted my nightmare. Or was it that the loud howls were part of my nightmare? I couldn't tell. Everything was blurring in my sheer horror. A lithe figure was running towards me, a giant sword held in their petite hands. If I could have I would have cried at the arrival of the witch who inhabits my darkest dreams. Why did Becka have to arrive now?
The howls were louder now, and I could recognize that they were distinctly wolf like. Becka ran closer to me, closing the distance between us shockingly fast. I tried to push myself away with my arms, but of course they were useless pieces of electronic data right now.
"Sirius! Sirius, wake up," The girl cried, and I squinted my eyes through the bloody haze as the voice pierced my thoughts. It was so familiar, and reassuring. If only I could grab onto the voice and it could pull me out of this damned nightmare.
The small girl turned around and stood protectively in front of me. "Go away!" She screamed, her voice crashing into my consciousness. "Just stay away from Sirius!"
I could feel something in my fingers. It was soft, and I gripped it with my fingers firmly. My finger's played with the material, and I realized that it was the black leather hilt of my Legion Sword. How had it arrived in my hand?
A roaring that sounded like rough stones grating together rumbled across the stone ground and through my body. "No, don't come near, please!" the girl screamed out again, as she stood bravely above my body. I recognized the voice, and I recognized the girl. It was Lily, and there were stone hounds advancing aggressively towards her.
I squeezed the hilt of my broadsword again, allowing the pleasant, reassuring feeling I was so accustomed to, to run through my body. A tingling spread through my body, beginning at my head and finishing at my toes, and I realized that I was free of the poison.
With a ferocious roar the closest Stone Hound leapt at Lily, stone spittle dripping from its marble teeth. It's jaws opened wide as it barrelled through the air at Lily who was not running in fear, but foolishly holding her ground. Foolish, but ever so brave.
I hooked my right foot around and into Lily's chest. I slammed her down harshly into my chest, and I winced as I heard the cry of pain leave her lips. She was in my arms now however, and safe from the pouncing wolf which had rocketed itself over my body and had just landed opposite me.
With my right hand I slammed my broadsword into the stone floor and watched with satisfaction as it penetrated half a foot. With my other arm I wrapped Lily snugly against my chest, and using my broadsword as a pivot I swung myself into an upwards fighting stance..
The second Stone Hound was barrelling through the air, it's concrete tongue lapping out of its chasm of a mouth. Unable to draw my sword in time to defend, and burdened down by Lily too much to dodge I had no choice but to tuck myself into a protective ball around lily. The stone wolf's teeth tore at my vulnerable back, and I screamed in pain as it followed up by raking it's sharp granite claws into my legs.
My health had dropped from 60% to 10%, and I realized I was lucky to even be alive in this situation. I had to do something now though; else I wouldn't be alive to tell my story of good fortune. The second Stone Hound had temporarily halted its attack on me, and I launched a forceful kick into its belly. My foot ached from kicking the giant lump of stone, and the wolf took no damage, but my strength stat was great enough to force it back tumbling several meters.
I could hear the first wolf snarling and I knew it was already beginning its next lunge at me. I needed to grab my sword, but Lily was gripping me far too strongly and the situation was far too difficult to wield a weapon. My morals ripped at me, but I had no choice but to shove Lily violently off of my chest with my left hand and with my right hand whip the legion blade out of the ground.
The sword screeched in protest as it left the ground, and cracks formed around it, but once I added my left hand to the hilt it swung swiftly out. Refusing to lose any momentum I began an uppercut strike on the charging Stone Hound. The tip of my blade dug into its stony flesh, and I yanked the sword upwards and over my head. The wolf, still imbedded in my blade, followed my swords path and crashed down onto the second wolf that had been about to rake my unprotected back.
Stone crumbled and waves of dust flew into the sky obscuring my vision. Two wolves could be heard snarling as they tried to dislocate themselves from each other. I breathed a sigh of relief as the situation reeled its way back into my favour. It didn't matter if I only had 10% health left. I fought my battles without being scratched. If I could do that on full health, I could do it on critical health.
I ran at the wolf on the left who was missing a large chunk of it's face, including it's whole right ear, and launched a Vertical Strike at it. The downward slash landed directly, and although it didn't kill the beast, it stunned it momentarily. I didn't hesitate in my attack, and raised my blade horizontally, and still moving forwards, activated Horizontal Bolt.
The world blurred as I tore sharply to the side, and my arms jutted at the impact of my sword slicing through the skull of the second Stone Hound. Pieces of stone fell loudly to the ground as the beast's head began disintegrating. All too soon the wolf let out a pathetic whimper and then shattered into colourful sparkles, completely disintegrating.
I switched my grip on the hilt of the sword so that they large blade was pointing downwards into the ground. As the stunned wolf recovered and scrambled towards me I slammed the tip of my weapon mightily through it's neck, pinning the wolf into the stone floor.
It let out a miserable howl before shattering and disappearing like it's pack mate. Not pausing for an instant I played with my inventory and downed three potions in quick succession. I was unsure as to whether multiple potions would heal me faster, but I desperately wanted my comforting green bar to return.
I yanked my broadsword out of the ground, but didn't sheathe it and instead held it loosely with one hand in preparation for another assault if need be. I perked my ears in desperation to hear an incoming enemy, but heard nothing but a faint whimpering that tore my heart to pieces. Finally, sheathing my giant weapon, I stepped over to Lily.
I reached out to touch her arm, but hesitated, unsure if she would flinch at my contact. I had hurt her greatly twice in the past minute, and even if it was to save her life, I was unsure as to whether she would understand that.
"Are you alright Lily," I said, my voice tight as I feared an outbreak. I had grown so attached to her over the past two months, I couldn't bear to leave her now.
"I'm fine," she said softly, avoiding my face. She played with some gravel on the ground with one hand while her face ever so slowly turned upwards towards mine. There were tears in her eyes as she looked at me, and my heart missed a beat as sorrow poured out from her.
"Are you hurt Sirius," she asked, and I collapsed to the ground beside her in relief. She wasn't scared of me, just scared of the situation. I wrapped my arms around her in a tight, encompassing hug and I felt her own arms gingerly wrap themselves around my chest as she began making soft choking sounds. All too soon her arms had a pincer like grip around me, but I refused to say anything.
Lily wouldn't cry. She never cried. It was something her grandfather had imbedded into her. It was definitely not something the system programmed her not to do, I told myself forcefully, but something that her family had taught her, and something she lived by. Lily never cried, and we both pretended that she wasn't as her small body wracked in heaves against my chest.
Eventually I was forced to pull myself out of Lily's grasp. She was now composed and no longer in immediate fear of her life, and more urgent matters called for my business.
"Lily, did you find Red?" I asked her, my voice rushed as I began recalling the damned situation I'd gotten myself into. Lily nodded softly, so I kept asking questions. "Where is Red then? Why aren't you with her?" I paused as I thought of something. "Actually, why are you here at all? You should have stayed back at The Quarry."
"But if I'd stayed behind you wouldn't have your sword," Lily said, trying to defend herself.
"I would, because you were meant to have given it to Red," I said.
"But Red isn't here right now, so it had to be me that gave it to you," Lily said, still stubbornly defending herself. I sighed, realizing she was right. I didn't like that she had been in danger, but that was just me being selfish. Lily had been as brave as me tonight, and she had shown that she was responsible enough to be out here fighting with me in her own way.
"And thank the heavens that you were here," I said, ruffling her hair fondly. "Listen, I need to go save Crystal, she's in trouble. You can come with me but-"
"No," Crystal suddenly shouted, jumping to her feet. "You have to come with me, Red's in danger."
"Red? In danger?" I asked incredulously. Lily nodded her head urgently and grabbed my arm and begun dragging me off in the opposite direction from Crystal.
"Lily, stop. I can't go with you, I need to help Crystal," I shouted in a panic.
"But you need to help Red," Lily shouted back.
A loud howl interrupted our conversation, and I blanched as I noticed that the night sky had truly become dark, and that night was truly upon us. The wolves would change with the night and become stronger, faster and more fearsome. We couldn't stay where we were or we would be surrounded. I had to save someone.
But who was I going to save?
And whoaaww, a cliffhanger! I'm not usually into them, but this one felt so perfect. Please don't kill me, oh dear readers.
And in regards to climbing back up this cliff, the next chapter will be rather... unique. I'm sure you'll realize what it is right away, and just know that if you like or dislike it, you're probably never going witness it from me again.
Cheers
-Council